Stranded
by neonferriswheels
Summary: This was written for the aph-fanfic-network drabble event on tumblr. The prompt was Domesticity and the pairing I got was SuFin. With a winter storm on its way, Berwald, Tino, and Peter want to hurry back home before it begins to snow. Unfortunately, fate has a different plan for them.


"Papa, you got the milk, right?" Peter asked, his nose pressed against the grocery list. He had been put in charge of ticking the items off the list and making sure that the food was in the cart and he was taking his job very seriously. He had double and triple checked each one to the point that Tino had to tell him that they were extra sure it was in the grocery cart.

"Mm," Berwald nodded, placing the milk into the cart, behind the child's back.

"Cause with the snow coming we hafta be prepared for anything!" Peter seriously pointed out as he used his blue highlighter to put a big check next to Tino's big printed letters. "Okay, now we need jam!"

"Peter, we'll get the jam in a bit," Tino replied and peeked over the little boy's shoulder to see what the next item was on the list.

Tino wasn't anywhere near as concerned as his son was about the snow storm that was on a collision course with their little town. He had grown up in northern Finland and was more than used to the occasional blizzard or five. He knew that Berwald was used to the snow as well and they were both more than capable of managing a little snow flurry like this. But how worked up Peter was getting was a bit adorable. Peter had been adopted from England and over on the Isles they didn't get snow to the same degree as in Fennoscandia.

The Finn chuckled and shook his head at Peter's protests and pointed to the next item on the list. "Ber, do you think you could grab a pack of cream cheese?"

"Yeah," Berwald's voice was a deep rumble that sounded like it wasn't used much. He strode ahead of the cart and paused to examine the different brands and flavors of cream cheeses. His blue eyes scanned the packaging before reaching out to grab their usual brand. The cream cheese was deposited into the cart in Peter's lap. In turn, the little boy checked off cream cheese as Tino pushed the cart up the aisle.

Soon enough the family had made it through the rest of the list and the checkout line with minimum drama. Peter had put up a bit of a fuss when he wasn't allowed a candy bar from the checkout lane. Tino stood firm against it, but Berwald caved and promised Peter a sweet snack when they got home. A tantrum was averted.

Now he was buckled in the back of their car, playing with an action figure of his as his parents loaded the groceries into the back of the SUV. Tino returned the cart as Berwald slid into the driver's seat and started the car to warm it up.

"Papa, do you think it'll snow so much that we'll have to make a tunnel to get to the mailbox and car?" Peter asked as he swooped his toy robot over his head.

"Mm, don't think so," Berwald replied as he watched his spouse jog back towards them. Outside, heavy white flakes had begun to descend from the clouds above. Already the parking lot was beginning to be dusted. "'S not supposed to snow that much."

"Aw man…" the little boy didn't even try to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

"Okay, let's go!" Tino announced as he let himself into the passenger seat and buckled himself in. Berwald put the car in gear and off they went.

They were about three-quarters of the way home, when they ran into a problem. Peter was explaining the story he was orchestrating to his parents when he was interrupted by a loud, concerning bang. The bang came from the car itself and Berwald immediately pulled the car off onto the shoulder and put the hazards on.

"What on earth was that!?" Tino asked, twisting to look out the window to the road behind them.

"Did someone shoot us!?" Peter asked and his voice was strung between being panicked and excited.

"No, no one shot us," Tino replied, shooting the boy a scolding look.

"I'll check it out," Berwald decided, letting himself out. Both Peter and Tino watched him circle the car and stoop down to examine the undercarriage and wheels. He returned and looked concerned as he indicated for Tino to roll his window down some. "Tire's popped," he informed his husband.

"Popped?" Tino's brow crinkled with concern. "On what?"

"Dunno."

"Do we have a spare?"

"Don't think so. 'Member we used it comin' back from campin'," Berwald answered, shaking his head.

Tino aggravatedly ran a hand through his pale blond hair. "So what do we do? The storm's practically on top of us and we're stranded on the highway."

"Cell phone?" Berwald suggested. "Call for a tow?"

"I didn't bring mine, did you?"

"Battery's dead."

"Sorry, that was my fault…" Peter broke into the conversation and sounded guilty. "I was playing a game on it."

"No, it's okay sweetie," Tino turned back to his son to give him a reassuring smile. "We didn't know this was going to happen." He turned back to Berwald, who by now had a fine coating of snow on his shoulders. "What should we do?"

"I'll walk ahead an' try to find a phone or gas station," Berwald decided. He added at Tino's worried expression, "Ya hafta stay here with Peter. Don't want him walkin' on the side of the road or in the snow."

"Yeah, but-" Tino began to protest.

"I'll be fine. My legs are longer so I won't be long," Berwald cut him off.

"But I wanna go with you, Papa!" Peter called from the back seat, just as protesting as Tino was.

"No." His voice was firm. "'S too dangerous. An' it's gettin' colder. You stay here with Mama."

"Papa-!"

"Peter, I said no." Berwald looked his son in the eyes and gave him a stern look that quieted the little boy.

"Be careful," Tino weakly said.

"I will. I'll be back soon," Berwald stooped down and leaned through the window to press a kiss to Tino's lips. The Finn jumped a little at the sudden display of affection and was going to respond when his husband pulled away just as quickly. He nodded at him once before turning and beginning up the road. Tino heaved a sigh and rolled the window back up to keep the heat in, preparing for a long wait.

Tino had Peter get the blankets from the floor of the backseat that were normally kept for road trips and sudden trips to go out stargazing. He wrapped Peter in the quilt and zipped his coat up to keep him warm and fussed with the folds of the blanket some before he was satisfied. He then draped the other fleece blanket around his own shoulders and turned the car off.

"Mama, why can't we leave the car on?" Peter asked, undoing his seatbelt so he could freely move about. "I wanna listen to the radio."

"We don't want to waste the battery or gas, Peter," Tino explained. "Here, do you want a granola bar?"

"Yes!" The boy perked up.

"Okay, go into the back and get one," Tino undid his own belt.

Peter made a noise of delight as he flipped over the backseat into the trunk area. "Can I have the peanut butter one?"

"Sure."

"Mama, will the cream cheese and milk go bad?" He asked as he dug the box of granola bars out of the grocery bag.

"Let's hope not."

"Should we put them outside cause it's colder?"

"No, they'll be fine for now. Peter, don't touch the milk or cream cheese."

Peter stopped his hand above the bottle of milk and retracted his it. "Mama, do you want a granola bar too?"

"No, I'm fine for now," Tino heaved a sigh and lightly closed his eyes.

"Mama, how long do you think Papa's gonna be?" Peter asked as he hopped the seat again to sit down.

Tino sucked in a sharp breath and worried his lower lip. "…I'm not sure."

"Mama, are we gonna hafta spend the night in the car?"

"I don't know, Peter. Just… let's have quiet time right now. You brought your DS right?"

"Yeah."

"Play on your DS for a while."

"Kay…" Peter opened his backpack, which he always brought with him in the car, and dug out his DS. He opened his granola bar and munched on it. The DS was flipped open and turned on and he began to play Super Mario Brothers.

Tino was playing a word game with Peter when Berwald returned two and a half hours later. He had the little boy up in his lap in the front seat who was now beginning to doze off against his shoulder. He squinted against the white wash of the snow at the tall figure striding back towards the car. Something large was being carried on one of his shoulders, and for the life of him Tino couldn't figure out what it was.

He carefully shifted his legs, which were beginning to fall asleep, and leaned over to start the car again. At the movement and the sound of the ignition, Peter stirred and opened his eyes. Tino glanced down and smiled softly at his son. "Peter, Papa's back."

"Whub?" Peter gazed blearily up at his father, his expression dazed and still half-asleep. "Papa?"

"I need you to get back into your seat, honey," Tino smoothed Peter's hair and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head. "We'll be home soon and then you can sleep in your own bed. Promise." He helped the little boy scramble back into the back of the SUV.

Berwald tapped on the window, and now Tino could see the load on his shoulder was a new tire. He rolled down the window enough for them to speak. "A tire? Where did you get a tire?"

"Bought it," Berwald replied. "I need ya to help put the groceries in back with Peter so I can get the jack." He left the window and looped around to the back of the car, popping the hatchback open.

"Hi Papa," Peter greeted, peeking over the back seat at his father. "Did you find what you were looking for? Can we go home soon?"

"Soon," Berwald promised. "Can ya do Papa a favor? Take the food back with you?"

"Sure," He reached to take the bags from Berwald and put them on the floor of the backseat.

Tino let himself out of the car and trudged through the snow, zipping his parka up and putting its hood up. "Where did you find a tire?" he tried asking again.

"There was a gas station that had a garage. I bought the tire." Berwald replied as he pulled up the mat in the back to fetch the jack.

"And they didn't come to help us why…?"

"Don't have a tow. Told 'em we'd be fine."

Tino closed his eyes and pinched his nose. "That we'll be fine."

"Yeah. Tell Peter to get outta the car. I need to jack it up," the Swede pulled the jack and went around to the popped tire. "Car needs to be off too."

"Fine…" Tino let the exhaustion he felt leak into his voice. "Peter, honey, I need you to put your coat back on and your mittens and hat, okay?" he called as he opened the back door for Peter and then leaned in the passenger side to turn the car off.

"Can I help, Papa?" Peter asked as he hopped out into the snow.

"Don't think you can help with this, Peter," Berwald replied, shutting Peter's door behind him.

"Why don't you build us something in the snow, Peter?" Tino suggested as he rolled the new tire over. Peter didn't reply but instead crouched on the ground, watching Berwald jack the car up.

It took twenty minutes and a lot of bitten back swears on the Swede's end to get the ruined tire off the axel. He was afraid he had broken the jack for a moment and almost said the one curse word he was never, ever supposed to say around Peter. But luckily it wasn't broken and the entire crisis was averted.

Tino hefted up the tire to Berwald when he was prompted and the new tire was wedged onto the axle. Putting the new nuts on went a lot quicker than taking them off. Even so, the air was growing colder and the sky darkening as the sun set behind the clouds.

"P-Papa, Mama, I'm c-c-cold…" Peter broke the silence that was stringing out between them all. Tino looked back and felt his heart ache at the sight of his son. He was shivering and chattering his teeth as he hugged himself to keep warm.

"C'mere Peter," Tino extended his arm and Peter shuffled over to tuck under his arm and against his side. "We're almost done, promise." He wrapped his arm around his son's shoulders and the both of them watched Berwald work.

"There." Berwald scooted back and stood back up after another fifteen minutes or so. "All done."

"And it'll hold?" Tino asked, looking worriedly up at his husband.

"Mm," he nodded in response. "Let's go home."

Tino nodded and picked up Peter, who was practically asleep on his feet. He buckled the little boy back into the car and picked the quilt up off the car floor and tucked it around him. "Sleep well, Peter." He pressed a kiss to Peter's forehead and shut the back door.

"Tino, do ya think ya can drive home?" Berwald asked Tino when he came around to the front of the car. "I'm pretty worn out from walkin'," he looked guilty. "Sorry. 'Bout the tire an' 'bout takin' so long."

Tino's eyes widened with surprise before softening. "Of course, Berwald. You don't even need to ask. I'm sure you're freezing. And don't be sorry. I don't think either of us could have predicted the tire giving out." He opened the passenger side for Berwald and went around the car, sliding in on the driver's side.

"I dunno, ya seemed mad earlier," Berwald shrugged as he buckled up.

"Mad? Why would I be mad? Did I seem mad?" Tino looked bewildered. He thought back and winced a little. Maybe he had been a little short with Berwald when he first got back. "…I'm sorry if I came off sounding mad. I wasn't. I was actually really worried about you. You were gone for so long; I was scared something had happened to you." The Finn started the engine and the heat roared back to life. He sighed with pleasure at the feeling.

Berwald blinked, studying Tino. If he had been mad earlier, he had certainly moved past it and wasn't now. And he had worried about him? The notion made his heart flutter some. He and Tino had been married for years and had the license and rings to prove it, but he sometimes felt like he had somehow bullied him into the commitment. Little comments like that did wonders to put his uneasiness to rest.

Tino glanced over when Berwald didn't say anything in return. The Swede was gazing intensely at him. Once upon a time the look would have shaken Tino to his core, but now he could pick out the tender light in Berwald's blue eyes and the obvious love radiating from them. He shook his head, smiling a little and chuckled some.

"You worry too much," he said to the unvoiced thoughts he knew were swirling around in his husband's head. Tino reached over to gently cup Berwald's cheek and pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth. Berwald hesitated for a moment before making a pleased noise in the back of his throat and returning the kiss.

Tino pulled back first and let his fingers linger on Berwald's face for a moment before turning forward and maneuvering the car back onto the road. "You know I love you, right?" He asked, eyes not leaving the road and the snow swirling across it.

"Yeah," Berwald nodded once. "Love ya too, Tino."

The smile that was already on Tino's face widened at that. "All right then. Now, let's get home. I'll make some hot chocolate for us and we can watch a movie."

"Yeah, that sounds perfect."

The snow fell thicker and thicker as the storm rolled into the area. The clear patch where the car had once been was soon completely covered over. By the end of the hour, the white blanketed the spot enough that it was impossible to tell that anyone had been there at all and with it the incident that occurred there was buried as well.


End file.
